Kinds of Abuse & The Dynamics of Abuse

Domestic Violence does not occur in a vacuum. Abuse does not occur only in certain economic groups or only with people with certain occupations or in only certain races or ethnic backgrounds. Nor does it only occur in the pattern of a man abusing a woman. Men are abused by women; it's just not reported very often for fear of shame and humiliation. After all, boys in our society are raised to not be weak. And too much ridicule is directed at a battered man in comedic fashion with a woman hitting a man over the head with a frying pan. Snickers always erupt when I mention this in a high school presentation. I tell the students that no fellow would dare disclose to them that he is being abused by a girlfriend with that kind of reaction.

Another group in which abuse is very under reported is the gay & lesbian population. They do not feel there are many services for them. There is enough shame being battered but complicate this with homophobia and gay bashing and it is quite another matter.

In the following pages we will explore the kinds of abuse & the dynamics of abuse & prospects for recovering from trauma caused by abuse.

If you click on the link called Power & Control Wheel you can find a wonderful site for understanding the dynamics of abuse in all relationships.